


Avengers: Golden (AVENGERS ENDGAME MAJOR SPOILERS)

by stellarose



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Bruce Is a Good Bro, Gen, Natasha Romanov Feels, Past Bucky Barnes/Natasha Romanov, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Scott Lang is a Good Bro, Steve Rogers & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Wanda Maximoff Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-01-31 14:16:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18592951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellarose/pseuds/stellarose
Summary: MAJOR AVENGERS: ENDGAME SPOILERS INCLUDING FROM THE THIRD ACT. DO NOT OPEN IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN ENDGAME.Gap fillers between the final scenes.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> MAJOR SPOILERS. This story is set in-between the final scenes of Avengers: Endgame. There are major spoilers. You have been warned.
> 
> I am also uploading this on ff.net and Wattpad.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, etc. These belong to Marvel.
> 
> Please read, reply, leave kudos and enjoy! Your patronage is very much appreciated :)

"I knew Natasha," Bucky said, breaking a comfortable silence that had fallen in the room, "A long time ago, but I knew her."

He and Sam had arranged to meet half an hour after settling in to the resort they'd been seconded to, allowing each other time to freshen up, but both needed to talk. The resort, in the mountains of Colorado, was temporarily closed to the public due to undergoing light renovations between ski season and hiking season. But Happy, acting on behalf of Pepper who was a key shareholder in the parent company, had managed to book out the entire place in two phone calls. The offical debrief had been succinct and to the point but no less painful, and Sam and Bucky had decided they needed something more. They'd ordered room service, then invited Wanda to join them. She was grief-stricken, holding Bucky's hand as they walked back to Sam's room. Carol had seen them, and awkwardly asked to join. More room service had been ordered, and the four sat around Sam's bed.

Despite Tony's passing in front of them, it had been news that Natasha was gone that had hit Bucky the hardest. He tried to rationalise his feelings, telling himself it just shock, but he had never been able to thank her, and now he never would.

"You wanna expand on that one, or you gunna leave it there?" Sam asked.

"I knew her," Bucky breathed, looking out the window to avoid eye-contact. "I - I don't know when. I don't even remember the season. We were in Prague or Vienna or - somewhere old Imperial Eastern Europe. I - so much is blurred, but I remember her."

"Were you friends?" Wanda asked.

"Oh, I think they were more than friends," Sam said, raising his eyebrows.

"I don't remember why I was there," Bucky said, ignoring the others, and not wishing to give Sam the satisfaction of being right, "But I must have been out of programming for a while. I don't know why Natasha was there either. Perhaps I never did. We were in a nice hotel. Nice sheets, room service, turndown service, buffet breakfast, bottles of champagne, chandeliers, marble pillars in the foyer. I - well, I wasn't young but I think Natasha was. I think it was the first time I was free in 50 years. And for Natasha, maybe the first time in her life. We planned to run away. Go to Australia or New Zealand, somewhere they'd never think to look. I don't know if I completed my mission. For some reason though I went back and I was wiped. I - I don't know if Natasha ever told her handlers. I wouldn't think so. Just - compartmentalise, and put it aside..."

"You loved her," Wanda said.

Bucky nodded. "For some reason, it took her a long time to realise that I was the Winter Soldier. I shot her. Twice. Maybe - maybe the second time, I think - I don't know what to think."

They all sat in silence for a moment.

"I'm sorry, man," Sam said.

Bucky sighed. "You can't judge a man on his worst day. I - I think Natasha said that a long time ago. I thought my cover had been blown, but now - she may have been talking about herself."

"Isn't the arm a bit of a giveaway though?" Carol asked, "Like, can't be that many dudes with a metal arm."

"The world was a weird place. I - I know there were other folks in our line of work with prosthetics like this," Bucky said, holding up his hand. "Guess I always wore a mask while working. Plus I think I had short hair and no beard and we were using pseudonyms. I - I just wish I could tell her now. My memories are so jumbled, but that, those weeks - she's the one speck of gold in the decades of darkness."

Again the room fell into silence, each lost in their own thoughts. 

"Wanna order more chips?" Sam asked, taking the last one.

"Yes, please," Carol said, "And another bowl of wedges? They were good. Really salty. What do you think the burgers are like?"

"We should probably get some sleep," Wanda said quietly.

"I can't," Bucky said.

"I actually want more coffee," Sam said, standing up, giving his sore shoulder a rub.

"Let’s go talk to the kitchen staff," Carol said, unfolding her legs. "It's amazing how much better earth-coffee is nowadays."

"You guys want anything?"

Bucky shook his head. Wanda just picked st the sheets. 

"Ok. We'll be back in a bit. Maybe find some chocolates. See what the kitchen's specialities are." 

"Pizza?" Wanda suggested.

"Maybe pizza," Sam gave her a smile as he and Carol left the room.

Wanda moved across the bed to sit beside Bucky. 

"You can go to sleep if you want," he said.

She shook her head. "I cannot sleep."

"But you - "

Wanda shrugged, and her eyes filled with tears. "What is the point of having magic if you - you can't..."

"Hey," Bucky said, grabbing the box of tissues from the bedside table and handing them to Wanda. "None of this is on you."

Wanda took a tissue and wiped her eyes. "If I had of been stronger... If I'd been able to take the stone out of Vis... oh, Vis..." she sobbed.

Bucky shuffled closer and tentatively put his arm around her. Wanda lent into him, and Bucky allowed her to cry, rubbing her on the back. "It's not on you," he repeated, to little effect. Bucky allowed his mind to wonder back to the battle in Wakanda, and the one earlier. He wanted to talk to Steve, but Steve was yet to come to the resort, staying behind with Thor and Pepper and a few others. Bucky had needed to get away from the battlefield. He looked down at Wanda, and for a moment wished it was Natasha he was comforting. He didn't doubt for a moment that she would have preferred him to be Vision. 

Eventually Wanda pulled herself away from Bucky, and lay down on the pillow beside him.

"Want a drink of water?" Bucky asked.

Wanda nodded, and Bucky climbed off the bed to get it. 

"Sam and Carol are taking a while. Maybe the kitchen is busy," Bucky said, making idle talk while he filled up the glass in the bathroom and brought it back to Wanda. She sat up and sculled the glass. 

"More?" Bucky asked.

"That's ok," Wanda said, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them. "I would trade the magic for them in a heartbeat," she said, as much to herself as to Bucky. "To see Pietro smile..." Tears run down her cheeks.

Bucky sat back down on the bed. "He was your brother."

"My twin. Our - after - without Vis and Tony and Natasha, I, I'm so - all alone..."

"You don't have to be," Bucky said quietly.

Wanda looked up at him. 

"I - I mean, I had three younger siblings," Bucky said, looking at the ceiling, "A very long time ago..."

"I do not want to be alone..." Wanda said.

"You're not," Bucky said, holding out his hand.

Wanda took it. "We are still Avengers?"

"I think so," Bucky said. 

"Sorry 'bout the wait," Sam said, flinging the door open, "There was - oh. You two ok?"

"Yeah, fine," Bucky said. "Pizza smells real good."

Carol closed the door, "They were a bit slow. Not to mention all the fuss going on downstairs now that the others have arrived."

"Steve's here?" Bucky said.

"And Clint and Thor and T'Challa and - "

"Pepper," Sam sighed.

Wanda bit her lip and closed her eyes. 

Carol sat down on the bed and opened the pizza boxes. "Got some napkins," she said, pulling them out of her pocket. "Figured we're all pretty good at making a mess."

Sam, Carol and Wanda all took a bit of pizza. "Someone's gunna have to get me fresh sheets before I can sleep here," Sam said, looking at the crumbs on the bed.

"I'm sure you've slept in worse," Carol said with a mouthful of food.

"Yeah, but they haven't been six-star ski resorts," Sam said. "Next time, we can crash your room."

Carol smiled. "You eating, Buck?"

Bucky blinked. "We have to return the stones, right?"

"Right...?" Sam said.

"It's just - something..."

"What?" Carol asked.

"Barnes, just eat some pizza," Sam yawned. "Then we really are all getting some sleep. We can top-and-tail it in here if y'all really want, but I am getting some shut-eye as soon as I eat about six slices of pizza and go clean my teeth."

"You said Steve and the others are back?"

"Yeah, but - "

Bucky climbed off the bed. "I'm coming back. Save me a piece."

"Probably not going to happen," Carol said, taking another slice.

"Whatever," Bucky said, just about tripping over his own feet as he raced out of the door, "But I'm coming back!" he called as he flung it shut behind him.

"I wasn't the only one who saw that, right?" Carol asked.

"What is he - ?"

"Hope," Wanda said, her eyes lighting up. "His eyes were full of hope."


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey Steve?" Bucky said, letting himself into Steve's suite. "Steve, I - oh, man. You look like hell."

Steve turned and looked at Bucky. "Hey, Buck."

"I - umm, want me to find you a medic? T'Challa sent a couple of their doctors here with us. I had one poke and prod me for about fifteen minutes before I could get rid of him. He was good, but I'm ok. I know I'm ok. Couple of cuts and bruises, but I don't look like you."

"I - I just need a shower."

"Uh, huh. That's what a lot of people who are about to collapse from serious internal injuries say."

"Buck..." Steve said, his voice sounding far away. 

"Well, you're moving like you really are a hundred years old."

"Buck..."

"I've got an idea Steve," Bucky said, unable to to contain himself any longer. He helped Steve shuffle into the bathroom. Bucky put down the toilet seat, and Steve sat down heavily. Bucky took Steve's hand and started removing his gloves.

"Buck, I need to sleep, and I - "

"A soul for a soul, right? That's what Clint said the deal was. A soul for a soul."

"Please don't do this..." Steve said, letting Bucky carefully undress him. "Please don't get my hopes up."

"I knew her, Steve. Years ago. It was Vienna or Prague or, well, that's unimportant, and what our respective missions were is unimportant, but for a couple of weeks..." Bucky remembered to breath, and slowed down. He recounted what he could remember from that time to Steve, who was struggling to stay awake. 

"I didn't know that," Steve said, when Bucky finished the tale. 

"Yeah, well, we haven't had a lot of time to catch up," Bucky said while he removed Steve's boots and jacket. "Holy shit, Steve," Bucky breathed, seeing Steve's body as he peeled off his jacket.

"Oh yeah, I got beat up by a giant purple alien," Steve mumbled.

"I'm getting the doctor."

"Buck."

"Then stand up, Steve. By yourself, no supports."

"Bucky, I..." Steve said, looking hopeless.

"Nope," Bucky said. "I'm not letting you sit around in pain because of some martyr complex. I'd say don't move, but I'm not sure you can. I'll be right back."

Steve closed his eyes. "Thank-you," he whispered as Bucky raced out of the bedroom.

Almost an hour later, Steve was showered, bandaged up, and tucked up in bed on strict bed-rest orders from the doctor. Bucky sat in the armchair beside the bed, finishing his cup of tea.

"You should go get some sleep," Steve said.

Bucky shook his head. "I need you to hear me out. Because we can't lose Natasha like that. Not like that. Without a body to bury - it's not fair. I, Steve..."

"She's gone, Bucky," Steve swallowed.

"No." Bucky said, shaking his head. "I'm not believing that. There is too much random, weird, unexplainable space-magic nonsense. I am not giving up on her. Not if there's a chance."

Steve looked at the ceiling.

Bucky continued. "Because by rights, we shouldn't even be here. If anything, we should be grey-haired old men, sitting in a nursing home, telling folks increasingly fanciful versions of our wartime adventures. But we're not. We're right here, hardly looking a day past thirty. You crashed a plane into the ice, and stayed there for seventy years until someone thawed you out. And you're still here now. And I - I feel off a moving train, down a mountain-cliff, and I didn't die. I'm still here."

"One in fourteen million and something..." Steve mumbles, as much to himself as Bucky.

"I think miracles happen more than we realise," Bucky said. "I mean, there are literal Norse gods hanging around, including a Valkyrie complete with flying horse. What next? Hercules shows up? It wouldn't surprise me at this rate. These people - we learnt about them at school when studying myths and legends. They're not real. They're not supposed to be, at any rate. But we just fought alongside them. And time travel, and space travel, and time-and-space travel - Steve, it's all a miracle. It's all a one in fourteen million chance. The fact that you survived to adulthood - that's the biggest miracle of all. It felt like every week you were sick with something new, but you never died. You never let it beat you. One more miracle, Steve. Between the two of us, the odds have got to be in our favour. They've just got to be."

Steve wiped his eyes on his pyjama sleeve. "But Clint said she's gone. Gone-gone."

Bucky shook his head. "Well, Clint's an imbecile. She may be currently, but," he sighed. "We have to return the stones, right? Back to when and where they came from so as not to ruin any other timelines. A soul for a soul. That's what Clint said. That was the deal to get the stone. A soul for a soul. So to get it back... it's a fair trade. The skeleton gatekeeper or whoever he was gets the stone back, and we get Natasha."

"We - we can't spread false hope."

"You're on board?" Bucky asked, sitting up straight.

Steve nodded. "It's worth the gamble. But we can't spread false hope. Only those who need to know get told."

"So...?"

"Lang."

"Wanda."

"Wanda?"

"She's distraught," Bucky explained. "She's lost the three people she was closest to. Without Vis and Tony and Natasha, she..." 

Steve nodded. "Don't get her hopes up too high, though," Steve said. "There's still a chance it won't work."

"Yeah," Bucky said, "But I'm fairly happy to bet against it."  
...  
Bucky stayed and talked with Steve for another half hour before returning to Sam's room, to find that only Wanda remained. 

"Where's Sam and Carol?" Bucky asked, sitting down on the bed.

"Sam went to sleep in your bed, and Carol went to sleep in her's. Not that it matters much who sleeps where, because none of us have any personal artefacts here," Wanda said. Her face was pale and her eyes were red, and she looked in desperate need of sleep.

"You waited up for me?"

Wanda nodded. "Sam went to bed about an hour ago, Carol only fifteen minutes or so. I - It was good to talk to her. She's nice. We saved you a piece of pizza."

"Thanks," Bucky said, taking the room-temperature slice from the box.

"How's Steve?" Wanda asked, tucking her knees up to her chest. !

"Bit beaten up," Bucky said, with a mouthful of food, "But he's been worse. He'll be ok."

Wanda nodded. "And you?"

"Huh?"

"What about you? You ran out of here like you'd just been told you'd won the lotto."

"Oh, yeah," Bucky said, swallowing the last of the pizza. "Yeah. About that - Wanda, you can't tell anyone, because it - it might be a pipe-dream. It might not work. I don't want to get your hopes up, but you deserve to know."

"What are you talking about?" Wanda asked.

Bucky couldn't hide his smile. "So, remember Clint saying about the whole 'soul for a soul' thing?"


	3. Chapter 3

"Ok, so the suit thing is the easy part," Scott said. 

Bucky, Steve and Scott were gathered in Scott's room at the resort. "But?" Bucky asked, "Feels like you're going to add a 'but'."

Scott pursed his lips. "Ok, let me get this straight. You think that there may be a way of doing some trade with the Soul Stone to get Natasha back. But you'd be stuck on an alien planet a few years in the past. But, if an extra suit is taken, which I can make, and can make very small and easy to re-enlarge, then that suit can be programmed to jump forwards to umm, now, or our soon-is future, but then fifteen minutes after the initial jump."

"Sounds right," Steve said.

"But why the fifteen minutes? Why not just bring her back at the same time?"

Steve glanced at Bucky. "To be certain everything lines up," Steve said. 

"But it wouldn't. It would - " Scott said, not entirely sure what he was asking. 

"Scott, can you do it?" Bucky asked.

"Yes," said Scott. "Yeah, ok. I'll do it. Weird programming including. Weird because I know you're not telling me something."

"We don't want to get people's hopes up," Bucky said. "Incase it doesn't work. So please don't tell anyone what you're doing."

"We'll call you as soon as we know, either way," Steve promised. 

"You do know I get it, right?" Scott said. "I mean, I helped invent an actual time machine on the slither of a chance I might somehow get my girlfriend back. And it worked. Of course, Hope will be wondering what I'm up to. My girlfriend, I mean, not the concept."

"Scott, please..."

"I won't tell her. It's not like she knew Natasha anyway."

"Thank-you, Scott," Steve said, "Really. None of this would have been possible without you."

"Yeah, well, it's gunna take me a few days. Plus there's the funeral and..."

"We've got time," Steve said.

"Not forever," Bucky said, "But we don't need it tonight."

"You guys go off on these crazy capers for all your friends? Or just the real special ones?" Scott asked.

Steve and Bucky caught one-another's eye. "Oh," Steve smiled, "It's fairly par for the course at this stage."

"Ok, good," Scott said, "Good to know that if shit one-day hits the fan, someone's gunna come look for me. Unless I disappear at the same time as half the universe, but hopefully that won't be happening again."

...

"So, about this trip," Bucky said.

A week had passed, and Steve was getting changed into his suit. "I'm gunna try to get her back, Buck. Worst case, we get a body to bury."

"I know," Bucky said, "I know you'll try everything. I'm - don't mean about Natasha. Not right now."

"I've spoken to everyone about where they got their stones. It's fine."

"Steve."

"I'll start in New York with the Time and Memory Stones. Get rid of the easiest ones first."

"Steve."

"Then back to the 70's I think. That'll be four down. Easiest to start on Earth."

"We've already been over those plans," Bucky said. "We've been over all the 'what if's'. But once it's all done - please tell me honestly - are you coming back here?"

Steve looked out the window. "I will. Eventually."

Bucky sighed. "Eventually means...?"

"I'm sorry, Buck..."

"Don't apologise. Not to me," Bucky said, trying not to let Steve See his shoulders drop. "I didn't spend all those years trying to keep you alive just for you to be miserable, especially not if there's some chance of happiness somewhere else. Sometimes you've got to do that with those you love. You gotta love them enough to let them go."

Steve turned back to Bucky. "Look at you, getting all soppy on me."

"Just telling it like it is," Bucky smiled. "I do wish we'd had more time. Here, in this future. Or present or whatever."

"I - Buck, I - "

"Yeah, yeah, Steve Rogers is very good at the big team-building morale speech, but can't properly say goodbye. I'm almost envious, Rogers. You're gunna get the life we should have had all along. Make sure you tell Peggy I say hi. Give her my love. And the others. There's bound to be some of the Howling Commandos still around. Tell them - tell them it's ok. In the end, I'm ok."

"Buck..."

"You can't go after the Winter Soldier. He'll kill you, and that's not fair on either of us. Just - forget that name. You know how that story ends. I'm here, and I'm ok."

"You're more than ok," Steve said, "You're the man with the plan. You're the one keeping the team together, building their morale, winning their trust. I - I'll be seeing you again."

"I know," Bucky said. "Then we can go fishing. Hey, Pops? Fishing out on that lake?"

"Don't call me Pops," Steve said.

Bucky laughed. "You'll be looking like one next time I see you. Gramps them?"

Steve smiled and shook his head. "I will throw you in the lake."

"Careful you don't put your shoulder out putting your cardigan on, Gramps."

"Bucky, I swear..." Steve laughed.

Bucky smiled and took a deep breath. "Bruce and Sam will be waiting."

"I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you, Buck."

"I know that," Bucky said, "But the same goes for me. I'm actually really excited for you."

"Come on," Steve said, leading the way out of his room, "Time to go save some worlds."

...

Steve couldn't quiet his mind as he climbed the mountain. If it didn't work, they technically weren't any worse off than they were now. And if he succeeded, if Bucky's theory was right, then they would be infinitely better off. 

"One more miracle," Steve muttered to himself as he scrambled up the rocks. Returning the other five stones ranged from easy to slight challenge. But the Soul Stone was by far the hardest, both mentally and physically. After this, he'd be done. He could go get a life. He hated the way Tony's words had stuck in his mind. Steve's whole life had just been about staying alive, or trying to keep those around him alive, and he'd never had much time to enjoy the life he did have. 

Bucky, Sam, Wanda, Natasha. They deserved more. He deserved more. Steve looked up and saw a cloaked figured standing a little further up. He finished his ascent before the figure spoke.

"You come alone."

"Yeah," Steve panted, brushing his hands on his pants. "That an issue?"

"You're too late, Steven, son of Sarah."

"Nah, don't think so," Steve said, vaguely recognising the voice. 

"The stone is gone."

"Nope," Steve said, reaching into his pocket. "It's right here."

He held out the stone. The cloaked figure took a step back. "How...?"

"Long story. Here's what I want to know. A soul for a soul? That's the deal, right? But it's usually the other way around to what I want. The soul of a person,costing them heir life, in exchange for the stone. What if I give back the stone? Do I get a person returned?"

The cloaked figure gave an unsettling laugh. 

"Does it?" Steve demanded. "A soul for a soul. The stone for Natasha."

"Natasha, daughter of Ivan," the figure said, leading Steve onto the rocky platform. "And Clint, son of Edith. No one visits for an eternity, then three guests in one day."

Steve looked around in a panic, afraid he'd see Natasha's body lying broken and still on the ground.

"She's not up here," the figure said. "They fought over who'd taken the fall, and who'd take the stone. Willing to injure the other to sacrifice themselves. I didn't interfere. The outcome meant nothing to me. Whoever fell, the other got the stone. A soul for a soul." The figure pointed off the end of the platform. 

Steve walked carefully to the edge, his heart pounding. There was nothing below but black, jagged rocks. Steve squeezed his eyes shut as the image of Bucky falling off the train filled his mind. He wished he could turn his imagination off. He didn't want to see that. He didn't want to see the sick trick his mind was playing, replacing Bucky's body for Natasha's.

"For what it's worth," the cloaked figure said, "She didn't scream or cry out as she fell. She'd made her peace."

"No."

"She never felt a thing when she landed."

"Where is she now?" Steve asked.

"Gone."

"Where's her body?" Steve yelled. "Where is she?"

"A soul for a soul," the figure repeated. The wind blew the hood aside, and Steve saw the face of the one underneath it.

"No..."

"A soul for a soul, Captain Rogers," The Red Skull said.

Steve hurled the stone out off the end of the platform and screamed out in anger.


	4. Chapter 4

"So either I died and by some miracle went to heaven - and this has to be heaven, because you're here, and there's no way you'd be anywhere else, or - well, I wasn't expecting heaven to be this wet, so..."

Steve sat up in a flash and flung his arms around Natasha who was sitting in the water beside him, relief surging through his body.

"Given that response, I'm going with my latter thought," Natasha said, wrapping her arms around Steve.

"It worked," Steve breathed, hot tears running down his cheeks, "It worked..."

"You're kinda squeezing me here, Cap. I did die, didn't I?" Natasha asked. "Did I?"

Steve let her go and sat back. "You don't remember?" he asked, wiping his eyes on his sleeve, which, being wet, just smudged the tears across his cheek.

"I don't know," Natasha said, "I - we're still on that same planet, right?"

"I think so," Steve said, "I just woke up in this pool too."

"Huh, ok. Well, I remember coming here, and climbing that damned mountain, and the ultimatum to get the stone, and Clint and I literally physically fighting over who'd taken the plunge, and - oh, Clint," Natasha breathed. "I - I forced him to let me fall. I remember falling and then - calmness. But it's like a dream; when you first wake up, it's so blindingly clear, then you roll over and it half disappears and in a few minutes its gone completely..."

Steve nodded. "I - I saw that cliff-top. The rocks..."

"For what it's worth, I don't remember landing."

Steve sighed. 

Natasha reached out and took his hand. "Hey, you wanna get out of this pool? Tell me what's been going on? Because you're here, and I'm here, and I figure you've got one heck of a story to tell."

Steve nodded and stood up, pulling Natasha up with him. 

"I'm guessing we won?" Natasha asked as they waded to dry land.

"Yeah."

"But in the end, the score card was - ?"

Steve's shoulders dropped. "It's a long story."

"That bad, huh?" Natasha asked, interlacing her fingers with Steve's.

"I'm sorry, Nat, I - it's..."

"Start at the start," Natasha said. "I guess everyone got back with their stones? Have we got time for the long version?"

"Yeah," Steve said as the wandered towards the top of a small hill, "We've got all the time we need."  
...

Steve recounted the battle on earth. He went over the plan to return the stones, Bucky's idea of how to save Natasha, and Steve's subsequent adventures whilst returning the stones. They laughed and cried and mourned Tony while sitting on top of a rocky slope on an uninhabitable planet in the middle of the galaxy, looking out at unknown constellations. They talked for hours, watching foreign stars and planets make their way across the sky. 

Finally Natasha lent back, propped up against the rocks on her elbows. "Kinda bummed I missed the big fight. So, what happens now?"

"I've got another suit for you," Steve said, pulling the tiny suit out of his pocket. "We enlarge it, and you go home."

"What about you?"

"Huh?"

"You said 'you', as in 'me', not 'we', as in 'us'. So? What are you going to do?"

Steve sighed. "Guess I'm gunna go get a life..."

"But not with us?"

"Maybe," Steve said, "Maybe one day. Doesn't matter where I go, my body's still chocked full of super-serum. Don't suppose I'll age like ordinary folks. Well, I mean, I'll age, but... everyone else's body ends up failing them. Not sure mine will."

Natasha nodded slowly. "Old Man Rogers, hey?" she said, her voice cracking.

"Nat..."

Natasha's eyes prickled with tears. "But the Avengers need you. I - I need you..."

"Come here," Steve said, and wrapped his arm around her. Natasha leant into him. "They need you too. There wouldn't have been any team to assemble if you hadn't kept us together these past years."

"That's - I just..."

"They'll need a mentor. Wanda needs you in general. Sounds like you and Buck have had more water under the bridge than I realised, and - " 

"Wait. He remembers Vienna?" Natasha asked. 

"He couldn't remember if it was Vienna or Prague, but, yeah. He remembers."

"Damn," Natasha breathed, a smile creeping across her face. "I knew he recognised me."

Steve smiled. "Going back to the team, Sam and Carol can run it, but they'll need someone back at base. They're both hot-heads, so they'll need you to help keep them cool. Keep the peace."

"So, what? I become Fury?"

Steve shrugged. "But without the politics and the secrets and lies. Somewhere between Fury and me. Make the roll your own, which is pretty much what you've been doing of late anyway. You're a good person, Natasha. You work hard, you're loyal to your friends, your family. You're a good judge of what's right."

"Still got a lot of red..."

"No," Steve said. "The moment you let go of Clint, that all went away."

Natasha sighed. 

"You know I'm right," Steve said, giving her a playful nudge.

"You're Captain Steve bloody Rogers. You're always right."

Steve smiled and placed the suit in Natasha's hand. "Time to suit up."

A few minutes later, Natasha and Steve were ready to do. 

"Just gotta say," Natasha said, "Time travel does my head in, and I'm not really sure I'm a fan. I know it's the only reason I'm alive, but it's the reason I died too, and, maybe it's all this space-magic nonsense, but give me a crime ring to track down or some political espionage over this any day."

Steve chuckled. "Now you're procrastinating."

"We've got time. All we've got is time. I - "

"I know," Steve said, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around Natasha.

"Tell Peggy I say hi," Natasha said, closing her eyes as she leant into Steve. "She doesn't know who I am, but I've read a lot about her. Get a cat and call it Natasha. A black cat."

"Ok."

"Remember that England wins the World Cup in '66."

"Yep."

"And invest in Apple shares."

"Will do."

"And try see the Beatles play live. That would be cool. Take Peggy to the ballet."

"I think I'll be having a tale or two to tell when I see you next."

"You promise you will? You'll be there waiting?"

Steve nodded. "I might look a little different."

"Still you, though."

"Still me."

Natasha took a deep breath and looked up at Steve. "Thank-you. For everything. For - for being the brother I never had... I never believed in anything, you know. Even when I came to America... I never believed in anything until I met you.”

"I love you too, Natasha," Steve said, holding her tight. 

"See you in a minute?" Natasha said, forcing herself to let him go.

"See you in sixty years."

"You'll be, like, two hundred..."

"I'm not that old!" Steve laughed, and looked at Natasha.

Natasha forced a smile. "I'm gunna miss... this. Us. All of us."

"I know. Me too. But - "

"We've got to keep moving forward. Or go back to go forwards, in your case."

"I'll learn how to cook," Steve said, "Properly. And not just how to boil and grill stuff."

Natasha chuckled, trying not to cry. She took a deep breath and tucked her hair inside the suit. "I am hungry now, just so you know."

"I'll make lunch when we get back."

Natasha nodded. "It's been - it's been the best, Captain."

Steve smiled and saluted. "Ma'am."

...

"Ugh, umm, you guys?" Bruce called as the time machine came to life. "I'm - I'm not doing this. I didn't touch anything or - where's Scott Lang when you need him, because - "

"Wait!" Bucky cried, sprinting back to Bruce. "Bruce, don't touch anything. Just - just wait, because - You didn't think to open with that, Steve?" Bucky called back to Steve, as Steve and Sam approached the machine.

"Sorry, Buck," Steve smiled, "Guess that one slipped my mind."

"Bastard," Bucky grinned, "It did not."

"What - what are you talking about?" Sam asked, looking between the two.

"Any moment now," Bucky said.

The machine whirled. Everyone took a step back as someone appeared in the middle. She stumbled for a second, then removed her helmet and shook out her hair.

"Yes!" Bucky cheered.

Bruce and Sam were awe-struck. Steve grinned.

"Hey fellas," Natasha said, "You miss me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE END at least for now.   
> Thanks very much for reading :)


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